5th International Conference on Quality Innovation and Sustainability (ICQIS 2024): Abstract book - theory and applications

The practical application of semiotic studies in crafting food and wine packaging is a topic that has yet to be studied in depth by current literature, even if many authors have confirmed its relevance and possible applications for product marketing. Considering wine marketing, in a purchasing context where consumers lean towards supermarkets and e-commerce platforms rather than dedicated shops or direct purchases from the producers, many authors determined how the visual elements of wine bottles play a crucial role in influencing consumers, as they cannot directly taste the product or receive any guidance from specialised staff. Wine bottle front labels specifically have been described by many authors as the “first point of contact” between the consumer and the product. This paper is a continuation of a previous study on the topic, “The value of semantics in food and wine labelling: research on Italian wine consumers” and aims to advance the discourse concerning the application of semiotics in food and wine labelling by filling a gap in the current literature concerning how different generations of Italian consumers perceived the same visual aspects that compose wine labels. Specifically, four digital wine bottle front labels created precisely for the study were employed together with 5-point Likert scale questions to understand the values consumers associate with wine bottle labels. Overall, 546 respondents from four different age groups participated in the study, and the results showed that despite minor variations, all the age groups shared a common perception and interpretation of the visual aspects presented.